Martin Marincin's rookie season is beyond expectations—and then some! How does Marincin's rookie season (so far) compare to Jeff Petry's? Is the big Slovak trending beyond what the college man did in 2010-11?

2010-11 DEFENSE (OILERS) QUALITY COMPETITION

All of these graphs are from behind the net. This shows that Ryan Whitney, Jason Strudwick, Tom Gilbert and Ladislav Smid were facing the tough opponents. Petry? He's exactly where he should be, playing against softer foes.

2010-11 DEFENSE (OILERS) CORSI ON

Petry zooms up the charts here, because (as we've discussed) he was playing against the soft parade.The 2010-11 team had about 20 rookie forwards (well, a lot) and not surprisingly the guys playing the tough opposition had a more difficult time. The one guy who doesn't show well in this graph set is Taylor Chorney, who played soft opps AND was outshot badly (this is all at 5x5).

35 games into his career, Petry looked like a keeper.

2013-14 DEFENSE (OILERS) QUALITY COMPETITION

This is unusual, and in a big way. Marincin—partnered with Jeff Petry—is facing the toughest opponents so far this season. Now, there are some things to note: Marincin has played only 22 games (less than half the others) so the comparison isn't across the entire season. Second: The top four are all facing tougher opps, so the gap isn't quite as large 1-6 as it was in 2010-11.

2013-14 DEFENSE (OILERS) CORSI ON

Huh. The veterans here (Nick Schultz, for one) are playing softer opponents and delivering subpar performance. Nick Schultz is on the ice most often at 5x5 with Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle—and that may be part of the problem (that line has had its own issues this season). Schultz certainly didn't have the same problem with the 1line a year ago.

Either way, Marincin is rhyming well with anyone who jumps over the boards with him.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

By math and by eye, Martin Marincin is bona fide. The Oilers need 5 more. Stat!

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Apparently the picture at the top is the only picture ever taken of Marincin. It is used in every single article about him that I have ever read. The problem seems to be that while there ARE other pictures of him, he can not been seen as they are taken side-on.

Considering what a bust he's been since he was traded here and his salary, I'm often surprised there isn't more hate on the site for Nick Schultz. Definitely overpaid, underperforming, not overly physical, and can't move the puck all that well. Personally I can't wait until he's gone. Just my opinion. Go Marincin!

I'm amazed how well Marincin has been able to do, considering he's been playing with that boat anchor Jeff Petry almost the whole time he's been stuck in this mess. Advanced stats don't tell the whole story, but according to guys like Willis, petry is the best d man on the team. I'll state right now that he's not. He's in Dubnyk territory right now. Remember how good all the advanced stats guys said Dubnyk would be if he had a good defense? Turned out pretty good, right? This is a drunk rant, so I'll sum it up: Petry-terrible, Dubnyk: 1 save away from a good save.. Every game. Marincin: harsh reality that our best d man was #3 on the rookie depth charts last year. Petry: he plays like Denise Grebeshkov when the Oil thought he played good that one year. Except without the points to back it up

My recollection of Marincin in the WHL was a gifted offensive player who did not appear especially adept or interested in play in his own zone. Yet, what we see here appears to be almost the exact opposite - a defense first player who, in flashes, shows some offensive instincts. I am assuming those flashes will become a bit more common as he becomes more confident.

Do we give all the credit to Todd Nelson and his staff - other than Marincin's own desire and ability to learn - for his development? If he can do the same with Gernat who I think is a very similar type of player (maybe a bit more offensive upside but less defensively competent) and the other young D do we doff our collective chapeaus to the group in OKC?

Is it possible for Wanye to hook Marincin up with an all you can eat off-season supply of Oodle Noodle? Marincin would be a force if he was 30-40 pounds heavier and he played with a little more of an edge. I don't know if it's feasible for him to gain that much weight and not lose mobility, but a 6-4, 225 pound mobile defenceman that can actually play would be a sight for sore eyes in Edmonton.

I'm amazed how well Marincin has been able to do, considering he's been playing with that boat anchor Jeff Petry almost the whole time he's been stuck in this mess. Advanced stats don't tell the whole story, but according to guys like Willis, petry is the best d man on the team. I'll state right now that he's not. He's in Dubnyk territory right now. Remember how good all the advanced stats guys said Dubnyk would be if he had a good defense? Turned out pretty good, right? This is a drunk rant, so I'll sum it up: Petry-terrible, Dubnyk: 1 save away from a good save.. Every game. Marincin: harsh reality that our best d man was #3 on the rookie depth charts last year. Petry: he plays like Denise Grebeshkov when the Oil thought he played good that one year. Except without the points to back it up

Makes you wonder what Todd Nelson and company at OKC can do with the rest of our high-end prospective D-men, for sure. Did Marincin get here on his own, or were the coaches in OKC important in the process? That's a question I'd like the answer to, though I suspect it's a combination of both.

I guess we'll know when we see Klefbom, Musil, Gernat, and the rest at training camp in the fall, huh? In the meantime, I'll be praying that the coaches in OKC are behind it, and we can just keep them coming...

Yeah, you're likely right. I've just watched this sub-part product for too long, and have a hard time using the proper channels to vent my frustration. It usually just turns in to Petry-bashing nowadays. It's definitely awesome seeing a guy like Marincin doing well up here, it's been a long time since the oil have been able to develop a draft pick like that

IMO, Marancin is not only having an excellent start to his career but he is also becoming the other big guy we (the Oilers)would need to pair up awesomely with Darnell Nurse....in the very near future.

I also very much like to point out that the Oilers now and/or should have...an excellent shot to next draft Eckblad. He then would be on the 1A defensive pairing with...say...Petry....also in the very very near future. Thats an far above excellent future type top 4 defence crew that the Oilers may have for the next five to sevcen years at the least.

Then they also have Gernat, Simpson, Davidson, Musil, etc, hopefully for the last two defencemen positions (fifth/sixth ans a seventh).. The Oil are definitely showing there's a new strong defensive depth right now.

As for Nelson and his crew coaching in OKC...they have been terrific these last three years with the many type players they had/get and/or then lose to injury trades or to the Oilers. For examples...Lander is getting way better, Pitlick is very much improving, the kids on defence are coming along. They should be promoted to the Oilers for next season with Smith and Buckberger being let go....even Acton as well. I do believe that Chabot should be dismissed as goaltender coach before too much damage to Bunz, Brossoit, Rimmer come...

Petry is a fine defenceman. If the Oil add a top Dman, then we can move everybody down a notch so that we are not asking guys to play beyond their ability or experience. That's the problem.

They need to add more than one top Dman to move "everybody" down a notch.

The current level of Petry is a 4-7 on most playoff teams. Unfortunately on the Oilers this year, he is their best, hence one of the biggest if not biggest reason of their current place in the standings. That is not Petry's fault, he is only as good as Petry can be.

I'm not gonna lie. I'm kinda hoping all these articles on Marincin kind of pull back a bit. I feel like we're building up too much hype and pressure on a kid with 22 NHL games to his resume and the more the media upsells the kid, the more harsh people are going to be on him when he goes into a down swing - and a down swing is inevitable.

LT, as far as the 2014 stats go, you acknowledge that the numbers may be a little skewed by Marincins small sample size. Are they not also skewed by the fact that a much larger percentage of Marincin games were played with better goaltending behind him Scrivens/Bryz, whereas the rest of the teams numbers lag because the large majority of their games were played with Dubnyk/Bryz behind them?

Is the comparison skewed by the fact that the Oilers 2010 team was crap?

Are they also skewed by the fact that Marincin was not around for the first 25 games when a team with 8 new faces, a new coach, all learning a new system were still adjusting to their new environment?

Will be interesting to see Marincins numbers compared to Dmen on other teams this year. At any rate things are looking good and adds interest to watching Olympics!

If Nelson & Co. are indeed responsible for getting the most out of our prospects who display the adequate potential... and then said prospects end up trending downward once they get to the Big Show then I guess we know the reason(s) for this mess. Time will tell with Marincin, Oilers have plenty of time to miss use/miss handle him but he looks like stud material so far!

To Shredder....Thanks for pointing that out but these top four young-uns...when paired better....make a great future for the Oilers defence. By the way, I am still not forgetting youngster Schultz either. I just see it as if the other top four do excellent together then he would be a valuable asset for trade or inputted somewhere into this group. Especially when now pricing out what Ference, Belov, Nick Schultz, Grebeshkov, Potter and then Larsen are being paid per year altogether.

The funniest part about all of these Marincin threads now is that the majority of the posters, along with an ON blogger or two, were willing to trade him over Klefbom, Davidson, Fedun, etc. earlier in the season. There were very few of us arguing against it......

That being said, the organization needs to be patient with the young d-men and let them develop. There is still plenty of time left on the Hall/Ebs/Nuge extensions, and I would rather see the team build up a deep pool of prospects on the back end. The Oilers are still two years away from being a playoff team (last year I was saying three). During this time, it is more important to continue to develop the draft picks/prospects so when it comes time to add a key veteran piece then they have the currency to do it.

FWIW, look at the Hawks vs. Penguins models in the salary cap era as to why it is important to have prospect depth. The Hawks have two Cups and a mini-dynasty/dynasty on their hands as they can plug in cheaper young talent around their core that are drafted/acquired and then developed. The Penguins, on the other hand, have arguably the top two offensive players in the game, but lack the solid and affordable depth players needed to be at the same level as the Hawks.

The funniest part about all of these Marincin threads now is that the majority of the posters, along with an ON blogger or two, were willing to trade him over Klefbom, Davidson, Fedun, etc. earlier in the season. There were very few of us arguing against it......

That being said, the organization needs to be patient with the young d-men and let them develop. There is still plenty of time left on the Hall/Ebs/Nuge extensions, and I would rather see the team build up a deep pool of prospects on the back end. The Oilers are still two years away from being a playoff team (last year I was saying three). During this time, it is more important to continue to develop the draft picks/prospects so when it comes time to add a key veteran piece then they have the currency to do it.

FWIW, look at the Hawks vs. Penguins models in the salary cap era as to why it is important to have prospect depth. The Hawks have two Cups and a mini-dynasty/dynasty on their hands as they can plug in cheaper young talent around their core that are drafted/acquired and then developed. The Penguins, on the other hand, have arguably the top two offensive players in the game, but lack the solid and affordable depth players needed to be at the same level as the Hawks.

I'm okay with trading anyone on this team if you get the right piece back. Its not that I think Marincin sucks, quite the opposite but Nurse and Klefbom are good prospects too, with a few second tier guys there as well. At some point I think they have to package some of these guys up to try to get a top pairing guy. I just can't think of a good team that goes with all young guys on the back end.

I'm okay with trading anyone on this team if you get the right piece back. Its not that I think Marincin sucks, quite the opposite but Nurse and Klefbom are good prospects too, with a few second tier guys there as well. At some point I think they have to package some of these guys up to try to get a top pairing guy. I just can't think of a good team that goes with all young guys on the back end.

I have no problem trading assets either, but the team should have a better idea of a prospect's potential first. Right now, we do not know yet if Klefbom, Nurse or anyone else will even pan out. My guess is that Klefbom still needs another year in the AHL since he missed all of last season with his shoulder injury, and Nurse is likely two years away at best from being a solid defender. The Oilers do not need to rush any of the young guys - let them play a year or two (or even three) in the AHL to develop so that they are ready to step right in and contribute effectively.

As I said, the Oilers are still two years away from being a playoff team. Right now there are way too many issues with the lineup for one top pairing d-man to fix. They need to continue to build organizational depth so that when they are truly ready to be a contender in 3 to 5 years, IF all goes well, that they have the prospect currency to add the missing veteran pieces. The lack of a development system from the early through late 00s, plus weak drafting during the Prendergast era, left the cupboards bare. Trading the one advanced d-prospect they have, Marincin, plus other prospects and picks for a top pairing d-man will just set back the rebuild another 2-3 years.